Celil refik kaya, guitar teacher

Doctor of Music
The University of Texas at Austin
Master of Music
Mannes College, The New School, New York
Bachelor of Music
Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory

Since his concert debut at the age of 6, Dr. Celil Refik Kaya has received high praise and accolades for his myriad of accomplishments at an early age. Celil was awarded First Prize at the 2012 JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition and has been a prizewinner of numerous international guitar competitions in Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, Turkey, and throughout the U.S.A. Highlighted awards in the states include the 2012 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), Indiana, Boston, Philadelphia, and Texas International Guitar Competitions. In 2017, Celil was awarded “Rising Young Musician of the Year” by the Donizetti Classical Music Awards in Istanbul.

Kaya's performances have taken him to some of the most prestigious concert halls and festivals around the U.S.A and Turkey. These include solo recitals, concerto performances, and masterclasses. Performance highlights include the D'Addario Performance Series at Carnegie Hall, The Frick Collection Museum in NYC, NYCGS at Mannes School of Music, Round Top, Brevard, and Ankara International Music Festival, as well as numerous radio and TV broadcasts throughout the U.S.A and Turkey.  

Besides a concert soloist, Kaya is also known as an avid composer where he has written numerous works; including pieces for orchestra, chamber music and solo instruments. His music has been performed throughout U.S.A, Turkey, South Korea, and Australia. A series of his selected works are published by Les Productions d’Oz and FDPublications.

Kaya received a Master of Music degree and Excellence in Performance Award at Mannes School of Music in New York City as a scholarship student of Michael Newman. Kaya had received additional private studies with multiple Grammy award-winning guitarist Sharon Isbin and Jorge Morel. Kaya was the third ever recipient of Harvard’s Dumbarton Oaks Early-Career Musician Fellowship and held the Harrington Fellowship at The University of Texas at Austin in the studio of Adam Holzman.

Dr. Kaya is currently the guitar professor at New Jersey City University.